Few innovations in football have promised as much — and divided opinion so sharply — as the arrival of video and artificial intelligence in refereeing. Introduced in the name of fairness, VAR and its evolving AI-driven counterparts were meant to end the era of game-changing mistakes. Instead, they have opened a new chapter of debate, where decisions are more accurate yet often more disputed than ever. From marginal offsides to prolonged stoppages, technology has reshaped not only how matches are judged, but how justice itself is perceived on the pitch. The question facing the modern game is no longer whether technology works, but whether it has truly delivered the fairer football it was designed to create.
Biggest Men’s Pro MMA Upsets of All-Time
And now for the men’s biggest upsets of all-time. In case you missed the guidelines or the women’s list, click here!
The Upsets
#5 – (2268pts) [1-2-0] Tristan Yunker W(SUB) [18-3-0] Clay Guida
KOTC – Redemption on the River (February 17, 2006)
I remember this fight being one of the first big upsets that I noticed when Fight Matrix came online. I thought it was some kind of data error. We all know who Clay Guida is, while Yunker himself had a decent career, going 11-5 before the wheels came off and he started fighting bigger, well known opposition like Hector Lombard.
Featured Upcoming Bouts (Outside of UFC)
| Thursday, December 31st 2026: Rizin FF Super Rizin 6: Shiwasu no Owarinagoya Gekokujo Matsuri | |||
 [#1 W105] Natalia Kuziutina |  [#4 W105] Saori Oshima | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 9/10/2026 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#18 W105] Rena Kubota Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 7/18/2026 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#13 W105] Ye Ji Lee Last 5: L W L W W | ||
| Sunday, December 13th 2026: Deep - 135 Impact | |||
| [#3 SW] Sukai China | [#4 SW] Jo Arai | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 5/04/2026 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [#6 SW] Sora Sugiyama Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 9/13/2026 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [#23 SW] Daichi Kitakata Last 5: L L W L W | ||
| Sunday, December 13th 2026: Deep Tokyo Impact 2026 6th Round | |||
| [#6 SW] Sora Sugiyama | [#10 SW] Goal Makino | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 9/20/2026 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [NR] Musashi Musashi Last 5: W W W L W | Last Fight Date: 9/06/2026 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [#42 SW] Toshiya Takashima Last 5: W W W W W | ||
Featured Fighters
| [#18 W125] |  Lucia Szabova | [#1 WW] | Islam Makhachev | |
| [#18 LW] |  Renato Carneiro | [#1 FW] |  Alexander Volkanovski | |
| [#13 LW] | Tom Nolan | [#26 WW] |  Jacobe Smith | |
| [#8 HW] | Josh Hokit | [#102 W125] | Tainara Lisboa | |
| [#1 LW] | Justin Gaethje | [#2 LW] |  Ilia Topuria |
Biggest Women’s Pro MMA Upsets of All-Time
While completing our MMA Awards post for 2025, I started to wonder what the biggest upsets of all-time were. We have four different upset awards, each using different rules and/or rating systems.
In this post, we will consider all pro fights with only one exception — the winner must have a pro loss prior to the fight date. I will however, post some notable fights that would’ve otherwise qualified.
To determine the order, we will use ratings from the Elo and Glicko systems, total the pre-fight ratings for each fighter, then order by the difference.
Prepare to read about some fighters you’ve probably never heard of…
Upsets
#5 – (1497pts) [3-4-0] Shana Dobson W(TKO) [9-1-0] Mariya Agapova
UFC on ESPN 15 (September 22, 2020)
I’m a little surprised that a UFC fight made the cut, especially in the women’s list. As far as the outcome, ESPN referred to it as a “historic upset”. From what I recall, Agapova came into the UFC with a ton of hype and a pretty nice 9-1 record. Dobson, at around +850, derailed the hype train.
What Your Favorite Fight Style to Watch Reveals About Your Casino Preferences
MMA fans will often take the enthusiasm they have for a fight and apply it to watching entertainment in its various forms. Your favorite type of combat may well have a bearing upon your favorite type of gambling experience.
Mixed martial arts brings together passion, unpredictability and strategic brilliance. Audiences appreciate a particular type of fight because it resonates with either their passion or their strategy. Unexpectedly, such desires will highlight a type of game at a casino that is most enjoyable for you.
The 2025 Fight Matrix MMA Awards
Our awards are very similar to those given by other outlets, but for more specifics, see the MMA Awards page.
Men’s Fighter of the Year
This year was a strange one for the category. Merab Dvalishvili fought four times, and was in the lead for essentially the entire year before ending it with a loss against Petr Yan. His only competition for the award was Islam Makhachev, who wrote his name in the history books by becoming a “champ-champ”, but was only half as active as Merab. I’ve said many times that I’d rather more draws be awarded than watch judges score fights for the wrong guys. And for that very reason, Merab and Islam will share the award for 2025.
Winner [tie] – Merab Dvalishvili, Islam Makhachev
3rd Place – Joshua Van
Honorable Mention – Petr Yan
All-Time MMA Rankings Updated (01-02-2026)
Check them out here!
High risk, low cost: why fighters and fans love calculated chances
Calculated chances unite two seemingly opposite things – level-headed, data-based information and the thrill of the risk associated with every bet. Fans can easily engage in discussions without sacrificing either the emotional, unpredictable excitement or the intellectual involvement. In a way, we get to be both smart and responsible as well as courageous and adventurous.
The following article will delve into the art of having your cake and eating it, by providing reasons why gambling fans and fighters are drawn to calculated chances, such as those offered at a 10 dollar deposit casino NZ, where players get to bet while simultaneously being responsible with their assets.
When a Casino Promotion Feels More Like a Daily Ritual
Most casino promotions blur together. Big numbers, short deadlines, the same promises repeated with different colours. You glance at them, maybe click once, and then forget they exist. They’re loud, quick, and usually gone before you’ve even thought about using them.
That’s why the idea behind king billy feels different. An advent-style promotion isn’t about rushing. It’s about coming back, one day at a time, without pressure. And strangely enough, that slower rhythm changes how the whole experience feels.
Instead of one massive offer that demands attention all at once, the calendar approach spreads things out. You open a small window, see what’s waiting for you today, and that’s it. No countdown timers screaming in the corner. No fear of missing everything if you don’t act immediately.